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At T-Mobile, we are committed to supporting the Latino community across the United States and its territories. Not only do Hispanic consumers represent the largest percentage of T-Mobile’s customers, but we are also the only national wireless provider on the island of Puerto Rico. While other national carriers left the island after Hurricane María, we doubled down on our infrastructure investment, and we are now #1 in 5G availability in Puerto Rico (Opensignal).

T-Mobile Puerto Rico has invested more than $300 million in its network over the last three years, with a focus on providing fast and reliable coverage to underserved communities across the island. Our network sites have also grown by 65% since Hurricane María, with 5G and 5G Ultra Capacity available in 94% and 83% of those sites respectively. Our network expansion in Puerto Rico has led to recognition year after year in Opensignal’s 5G Global Mobile Network Experience Awards. We have been recognized as having the most improved network speed in the world, having the best download speed experience in the western hemisphere, and having the 5th best download speed experience in the world.

In just one year in 2022, we equaled our average five-year network growth. It was our largest network growth in Puerto Rico to date, and we are not done yet. Not only have we expanded and enhanced our network, but we have also hardened the network to protect our future in Puerto Rico. We now have generators in 70% of our sites, as well as 139 portable generators. Additionally, 807 of our sites have upgraded battery backups, and we have three ultramarine CORE circuit routes to the mainland.

Now that we have built an award-winning network in Puerto Rico, we want to help the island’s businesses thrive. We want people to stay on the island, build, and invest. Puerto Rican businesses need support, and we want to help. Growing industries across the island need assistance installing and using 5G to its fullest capacity, and T-Mobile brings the right technology and resources to the table. In fact, we tripled down on our commitment to Puerto Rico with a 10-year commitment and the main sponsorship and naming rights holding for Distrito T-Mobile. This one-of-a-kind, premier entertainment venue in San Juan is a hub for businesses and events in the island’s capital.

We are also proud of our partnerships across industries. Most recently, we have grown T-Mobile for Business (TfB) Puerto Rico’s relationships in fleet management, gas distribution, and waste management. Our customers include the Puerto Rico Medical Transport, with whom our 5G network is fueling IoT connected devices with Spireon to improve their fleet management capabilities and monitor the transportation of medicines, patients, and labs results across the island. We also help Vital Emergency Response use GeoTab Fleet Management to track ambulances and dispatch them more efficiently during emergency response situations. Finally, Charlie Car Rental uses our network and GeoTab fleet management to efficiently monitor their rental vehicles, maintenance schedules, and vehicle usage.

And we are even helping businesses grow and innovate new products. For example, in 2020, T-Mobile partnered with Engine-4 as a founding partner of the first 5G and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) Open Innovation Lab in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the lab, located in Bayamón, we bring together collaborators from start-ups, academia, and government to drive advancements in agriculture, hydroponics, Smart City technology, and more. For example, Grono–a robotic prototype developed in the lab–helps farmers monitor their crops with soil analysis. Grono collects data from the soil or land a farmer uses to inform maintenance of the area and improve agricultural growth and development.

I recently spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Annual Conference on the state of Puerto Rico. I noted that at T-Mobile, we want Puerto Rico businesses to thrive not just survive. We built the network businesses need to succeed, we hardened that network for the future, and now we are helping Puerto Rico’s industries grow. We’re here for the long haul. 

For more information: We are always looking for more partnerships and investment opportunities on the island. If you have an opportunity or just want to start a conversation, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or my colleague on the TfB Puerto Rico team, Francisco Perez (francisco.r.perezmuskus@t-mobile.com).

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Jorge Martel is Vice President & General Manager of T-Mobile Puerto Rico

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